Table 2.

Associations Between DNA Methylation and Genetic Profiles With Cognitive Functions

	Processing speed			Executive functions			Perceptual reasoning			Verbal comprehension			Reading			Math
Variable	r	95% CI	p	r	95% CI	p	r	95% CI	p	r	95% CI	p	r	95% CI	p	r	95% CI	p
No further covariatesa
CRP	−.15	[−.24, −.05]	.003	−.21	[−.36, −.07]	.004	−.16	[−.26, −.07]	.001	−.14	[−.25, −.03]	.013	−.07	[−.20, .06]	.310	−.10	[−.27, .06]	.218
Epigenetic-g	.04	[−.11, .17]	.657	.16	[−.05, .37]	.126	.15	[.07, .24]	< .001	.17	[.07, .27]	.001	.22	[.09, .42]	.001	.33	[.18, .49]	< .001
PoAm	−.09	[−.20, .01]	.082	−.12	[−.27, .02]	.090	−.20	[−.30, −.10]	< .001	−.19	[−.29, −.08]	< .001	−.07	[−.20, .08]	.366	−.10	[−.27, .06]	.218
Adjusting for BMI
BMI	−.10	[−.18, −.02]	.017	−.24	[−.35, −.12]	< .001	−.18	[−.27, −.10]	< .001	−.19	[−.29, −.08]	.001	−.19	[−.31, −.06]	.003	−.24	[−.36, −.12]	< .001
CRP	−.09	[−.20, .02]	.115	−.09	[−.26, .07]	.260	−.10	[−.20, .00]	.053	−.07	[−.20, .05]	.257	.03	[−.12, .17]	.737	−.01	[−.17, .15]	.918
Epigenetic-g	−.01	[−.21, .14]	.956	.10	[−.12, .32]	.351	.14	[.06, .22]	.001	.15	[.06, .25]	.001	.20	[.06, .34]	.005	.30	[.14, .45]	< .001
PoAm	−.04	[−.16, .08]	.499	−.02	[−.18, .14]	.825	−.14	[−.25, −.04]	.008	−.12	[−.24, −.01]	.030	.02	[−.13, .17]	.815	.01	[−.18, .19]	.975
Adjusting for pubertal development
Puberty	−.12	[−.21, −.02]	.019	−.14	[−.28, −.03]	.043	.08	[−.03, .18]	.159	.04	[−.09, .17]	.547	−.11	[−.25, .03]	.112	−.07	[−.20, .06]	.311
CRP	−.12	[−.22, −.02]	.014	−.19	[−.34, −.01]	.017	−.17	[−.26, −.07]	< .001	−.14	[−.26, −.03]	.013	−.05	[−.18, .09]	.523	−.11	[−.26, .04]	.134
Epigenetic-g	.03	[−.11, .16]	.680	.16	[−.08, .49]	.142	.15	[.07, .23]	< .001	.17	[.07, .26]	.001	.22	[.09, .36]	.001	.33	[.18, .49]	< .001
PoAm	−.08	[−.18, .01]	.125	−.11	[−.25, .04]	.137	−.20	[−.30, −.10]	< .001	−.19	[−.29, −.08]	< .001	−.06	[−.20, .09]	.446	−.10	[−.27, .07]	.250
Adjusting for tobacco smoke exposure
DNAm-smoke	.08	[−.06, .22]	.28	.08	[−.14, .30]	.480	−.11	[−.22, .01]	.081	−.10	[−.22, .03]	.119	−.17	[−.37, .04]	.114	−.14	[−.37, .08]	.205
CRP	−.20	[−.33, −.07]	.003	−.25	[−.44, −.06]	.012	−.13	[−.23, −.03]	.011	−.12	[−.23, −.01]	.045	−.01	[−.16, .16]	.972	−.06	[−.25, .13]	.541
Epigenetic-g	.03	[−.14, .20]	.737	.22	[−.03, .48]	.089	.15	[.07, .23]	< .001	.16	[.06, .26]	.002	.23	[.09, .37]	.001	.35	[.19, .50]	< .001
PoAm	−.10	[−.22, .01]	.070	−.13	[−.28, .03]	.121	−.18	[−.28, −.08]	< .001	−.17	[−.28, −.07]	.001	−.03	[−.18, .11]	.646	−.07	[−.25, .11]	.46
Adjusting for family-level disadvantage
Family disadvantage	−.07	[−.24, .04]	.170	−.22	[−.36, −.08]	.002	−.20	[−.29, −.11]	< .001	−.29	[−.40, −.19]	< .001	−.17	[−.31, −.03]	.019	−.26	[−.41, −.11]	.001
CRP	−.12	[−.39, −.04]	.013	−.15	[−.30, −.01]	.046	−.11	[−.21, −.02]	.020	−.07	[−.18, .05]	.237	−.04	[−.17, .10]	.590	−.08	[−.22, .07]	.292
Epigenetic-g	.01	[−.13, .15]	.877	.12	[−.10, .33]	.301	.15	[.07, .23]	< .001	.16	[.06, .25]	.001	.21	[.07, .35]	.003	.31	[.15, .47]	< .001
PoAm	−.07	[−.18, .04]	.210	−.06	[−.22, .09]	.426	−.15	[−.25, −.05]	.004	−.11	[−.22, −.01]	.041	−.03	[−.17, .11]	.673	−.05	[−.21, .12]	.564

Note: Standardized regression coefficients (rs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and uncorrected p values calculated by regressing cognitive functions on DNA methylation measures with and without controlling for normed body mass index (BMI) z scores, puberty (residualized for age within each sex), DNA methylation profiles of smoking (DNAm-smoke), and family-level disadvantage separately. p values, where false-discovery-rate-corrected p < .05, are marked in bold. CRP = C-reactive protein; Epigenetic-g = DNA methylation profiles of cognitive performance; PoAm = Dunedin methylation pace of aging.

^aAll models included covariate adjustment for age, gender, and an age-by-gender interaction. Methylation scores were residualized for technical covariates (i.e., array, slide, batch, and cell composition).